Speeding is illegal, and the reason most people will give you is simple: It causes car accidents. If people obeyed the speed limits, they would crash less often, and that keeps everyone safer.
This is true, but the problem with speeding is not just that speeding tends to cause accidents: The real problem is the difference that speed makes when an accident does take place.
Speeding makes injuries worse
The problem is that speeding increases the severity of an accident. No matter what type of vehicle a person is driving, speed increases the power and force of a blow from a crash. This, in turn, increases the severity of someone’s injuries. This is why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and many others warn against driving faster than the posted limit.
To see how this works, consider the difference between accidents on rural roads (with higher speed limits) and urban streets. It has been reported that only 19% of the population lives near these rural roads, and they only do about 30% of the driving in the country. However, the split in fatalities is about 50/50 between rural and urban streets.
One major reason for this incredibly high fatality rate in rural areas is that people are traveling much faster. It’s not just breaking the speed limit that makes a difference. Even driving at the speed limit gets more dangerous when that limit is 55 miles per hour instead of 25 miles per hour.
Has a speeder caused your injury?
Crashes happen everywhere. Urban crashes are just more likely to cause injuries. If you’ve been hurt or lost a loved one, you may have options to seek compensation. An attorney can help you learn more.
